Excellence in Early Response and Step-by-Step Control Roadmap Recognized Nationwide
The once reddened forests are breathing again.
On December 18, Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province attended the Pine Wilt Disease Clean Conversion Competition hosted by the Korea Forest Service and received the Grand Prize.
Uljin County attended the Pine Wilt Disease Clean Conversion Competition hosted by the Korea Forest Service and received the Grand Prize. Photo by Uljin County
This competition was organized to identify and promote outstanding cases where regions with minor occurrences of pine wilt disease have established comprehensive early-stage monitoring, surveillance, and control systems, and have advanced their annual control roadmaps, preventing the escalation of minor outbreaks into large-scale infestations.
The competition saw participation from 41 local governments nationwide with minor pine wilt disease outbreaks. Fourteen local governments, including Uljin County, Seocho District in Seoul, Seo District in Daegu, Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province, Gangneung and Samcheok in Gangwon Province, Geumsan County in South Chungcheong Province, Buan County in North Jeolla Province, Hwasun, Shinan, and Yeongam Counties in South Jeolla Province, Bonghwa County in North Gyeongsang Province, and Namhae and Hamyang Counties in South Gyeongsang Province, presented their clean conversion roadmaps for pine wilt disease.
The evaluation criteria for the competition focused on the roadmaps established by each local government, comprehensively assessing factors such as enhanced surveillance, step-by-step target setting for control strategies, systems to prevent the spread through movement control, and plans for resident participation and public relations. Uljin County received high scores in each category and was selected as the top organization.
Lee Yongkwon, Director of Forest Disaster Control at the Korea Forest Service, stated, "We will continue to strengthen support to ensure that practical plans reflecting local conditions are effectively implemented on the ground."
Park Jaeyong, Head of the Forest Department, said, "Having received the Grand Prize at the Pine Wilt Disease Clean Conversion Competition, we will do our utmost to implement the established clean conversion roadmap and make Uljin County a pine wilt disease-free area."
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